The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-27
ABOUT BRET HARTE.
Denial Of the Charge That He Has Been
Spoiled by Success.

Denial Of the Charge That He Has Been
Spoiled by Success.
London Correspondence Philadelphia Press.
And / am reminded by this subject that have
seen published on several occasions very often
sive references to the change which had come
over Bret Harte since he was first appointed
American consul at Glasgow. In substance
they said that his head had been turned by the
attention he had received in his quality of author,
and that he had become insufferably disdainful
and contemptuous to his quondam friends and
his compatriots generally. To such smallness
and indecency did that scurrility go that his
very dress and whiskers and hair were lugged in
to be abused. had known him very well from
the commencement of his literary career until
his final departure from California, and these
accounts the more surprised and shocked me
because up to the period of his departure had
always found him singularly modest of his own
worth and absolutely unaffected by the very
high praise then bestowed not only upon his lit
erary merit but the new field he had discovered
and deity cultivated His Luck of Roaring
Camp" which introduced new life in romance,
was full of charm, novelty and pathos, and at a
bound he became one OF the most noted, and
in his speciality, the most admired. of the authors
in this country. He soon had his imitators, but
in all that was brilliant beautiful and natural
they were far inferior to the original In that
new ground there no tillage and fructifca-
ton like unto his. Prizes. praise and diplomas
he had galore, but the husbandman put
neither airs nor broadcloth, but was as unchanged
as when first he put furrow into the soil
From that period until the past spring we have
not met and during those thirteen years of sep
aration his mind had matured and his reputation
had very much increased. Between him and
myself was all the inequality of very we'll
known and an absolutely unknown man. Be-
sides, on my part there was no such ADVENT
tious advantages as wealth and position to offer
in exchange for the profit which naturally
comes from association with one who has at
tanned, with his pen. advanced place in the
guild of intellect. But when met him here in
London where he is most admired and honored,
his reception of me was as kind, spontaneous
and warm as if no years had divided us, and
if his crown were as bare of chaplets my own
And find that among all those who enjoy the
honor of his intimacy he is esteemed
as well for his modesty as for his genius.
/ might go further and say that his amenity,
even diffidence, and his pleasant naturalness of
manner are even greater and more lovable than
when he occupied the post of reporter San
Francisco daily paper. Such persons as Bret
Harte have, in measure, ceased to own them
selves, but belong to the world, and that world
is interested in knowing that their heroes are
above the mean vices that besmirch common
men.
Harte has been living here for eight years
with highly cultured Belgian family-Vande
Velde-the head of which is a diplomatic of honor
and distinction. His last work. 1.-The Crusade
of the Excelsior has already appeared in
America, and he has just placed in the hands Of
an editor a serial which will appear this month.
He is a hard, systematic worker in excellent
constitution; and but repeat the general wish
that he may be spared many years 20 delight the
much delighted in the past A mans popularity
with his craftsmen is an unerring good sign of
superiority, and among the authors here. say
such as Froude and William Black, Harte is
equally admired and loved a writer and gem
tleman.